How to get a permit to build a driveway or vehicle crossing to link your property to the road.
A vehicle crossing provides access to private property from the traffic lane to the property boundary.
In the urban area, a crossing may consist of a concrete driveway and layback in the kerb and channel.
In the rural area, a crossing may consist of a sealed or unsealed pavement over a reinforced concrete pipe with concrete end-walls.
The landowner is responsible for:
- Construction expenses
- Maintaining the crossing in a safe condition
To construct a vehicle crossing you need to:
- Get a Works Within Road Reserve permit
- Comply with specifications and permit conditions
Vehicle crossing requirements
Your driveway or vehicle crossing connects your property to the road by crossing the nature strip. It must meet the following requirements:
- Minimum width of 3 metres and a maximum width of 6 metres. To construct a crossing exceeding these measurements, it must be assessed on an individual basis
- Comply with requirements of other asset owners with existing infrastructure as required. Including, maintaining safe distances or upgrading assets such as power poles and drainage or other pits
- Nearby trees must be at least 1.5 metres from the proposed driveway. A greater offset may be required for mature trees in accordance with the City's Urban Tree Management policy
You must consult with your neighbours if works are adjacent to the front of their property or affect them in any way.
If any utility pits are close to the works (within 1m) you will need to contact the relevant authority about their requirements. Relocation of any service is at your expense.
Removal of street trees, if approved, will also be at the applicants' expense. Due to numerous factors the City does not permit the relocation of existing street trees by landowners. More information about the process for removing an existing street tree can be found in the Urban Tree Management Policy.
Typical rural crossover A
Typical rural crossover B
Apply to construct a driveway or vehicle crossing
Your application should include:
- A completed Works Within Road Reserve (Vehicle crossing / Landscaping works) Application Form. Including details of your contractor's public liability insurance or your house and contents insurance details if you are proposing to undertake the works yourself
- A site plan. A copy of a house plan or a neat, hand drawn and scaled plan is acceptable
- Work start/end dates should be included - if no date is given the permit period will be for one month from the date of issue. Consent will not be provided for a greater period than one month, unless works are reasonably expected to take longer
- If your works are in a rural area please provide the nearest intersection and mark the indicative location of the proposed works on-site
Whilst we do aim to process applications as quickly as possible, please allow up to 20 business days for an application to be processed.
Your site sketch/plan
Your site plan should include:
- Dimensions of the works
- Distances to any existing assets such as trees, signs, pits (Powercor, Coliban Water, etc.)
If your driveway is for a new house, you can use a copy of the building plan with the relevant details drawn in. If no plans are available, a good quality hand-drawn plan, showing all relevant dimensions will suffice.
When you submit a site plan or sketch it must meet the requirements of a standard drawing. Our construction standards webpage explains these requirements for urban and retrofit driveways, urban and rural swale crossings, industrial vehicle crossings and more.
Paying for your permit
An invoice will be sent to you for payment after a permit is issued. Please note that payment cannot be accepted prior to a permit being issued.
Once a permit is issued this payment is non-refundable, so if you receive a permit but decide to not proceed with the works the application fee will still apply.
Safe work sites and cleaning up
For public safety, any open excavation must be back-filled or barricaded securely overnight, or if works are left unattended.
If you are using a contractor they will also be responsible for any clean up. If council land is left in an unacceptable condition, the City will follow up with the works manager/contact.
If you are undertaking the works yourself, you will be responsible for the works being to standard and ensuring the public area is left clean and safe.